Program and Research Coordinator

Cornell University embraces diversity and seeks candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty and staff of all identities and backgrounds. We strongly encourage individuals from underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply.

The Cornell Mui Ho Center for Cities (referred to as the Center) is a new think + do tank in the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning (AAP) at Cornell University. The Center is comprised of 15 faculty led research labs (this number is expected to grow); two, multi-year strategic initiatives focused on urban climate change and inequality with external partners; and faculty seed research grants and creative grants. The Center also anticipates supporting 2 (and possibly up to 4 postdoctoral fellows) each year linked to its strategic initiatives. The work of the Center is both domestic and international. You can read more about the Center’s research labs, initiatives, and launch symposium here https://centerforcities.aap.cornell.edu/.

The Program and Research Coordinator will collaborate closely with the Center Director and AAP leadership to build the Center. This position is a hybrid position coordinating the Center’s programs and research. Core responsibilities will include strategic thinking, contributing to and overseeing the implementation of the Center’s strategic plan and initiatives, contributing to the work of faculty-led research labs, conceptualizing and overseeing the Center’s programming and communications strategy, representing the Center in engagements with strategic partners and stakeholders, and supervising Center staff members and the broader team. This is an exciting opportunity to shape a new research center at Cornell University.

• Collaborate with the Center Director, AAP college leadership (Dean, Assistant and Associate Deans, and Department Chairs), and key internal and external advisors to develop and execute the center’s strategic plan.
• Manage the Center’s initiatives, including developing scopes of work, planning, managing resources, setting milestones and deadlines, and developing systems of monitoring and evaluation.
• Support the Center Director in applying for center-level proposals and support the Center faculty applying for externally sponsored research.
• Contribute to research, including proposal development, literature reviews, research methods, data collection, analysis, and dissemination of the findings in the form of articles, working papers, and developing communications assets.
• In close collaboration with the Center Director and AAP Communications team conceptualize and oversee the implementation of the Center’s communication strategy.
• Substantive shape inward and outward facing programing (i.e., symposium, trainings, workshops, media launches, retreats), and represent the Center and present on its work in important meetings and convenings.
• Supervise the work of Center staff, postdoctoral and postgraduate fellows, and visitors of the Center, and student workers.

The position is full-time; but the ideal candidate should have some flexibility because the workload of the Center is less over the winter and summer breaks when there are fewer faculty and students on campus, and prior to major events (convening and proposal submissions), the workload will increase in intensity and the time commitment required. There is an opportunity for career advancement in this position.

Required Qualifications:

Masters degree in city planning, urban design, architecture, public policy, environmental sustainability or other field closely related to the core work of the Center for Cities and at least three years of relevant professional experience working directly with cities and/or conducting urban research. Experience managing multiple initiatives and support and contribute to center level proposal development and the work of multiple faculty-led research labs. Excellent written, visual, and verbal presentation skills. Experience developing reports and presentations related to program activities consistent with high-level of oral, written, and visual communication expected in AAP. Represent the Center for Cities in engagements with high level external stakeholders, policy makers, advisors, and potential funders.

Preferred Qualifications:

Proven professional track record support and/or participating in the submission of ambitious research proposals (i.e., center level proposals, NSF, foundation proposals) and experience working collaborative with PIs on ambitious research projects. Knowledge of the intellectual and programmatic landscape of other similar urban centers (i.e., MIT Leventhal Center for Advanced Urbanism, University of Chicago’s Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation, African Center for Cities). Team management experience in a think tank (i.e., Urban Institute, Brookings, RAND Corporation), research center, non-profit (World Resources Institute Ross Center for Sustainable Cities) corporate (i.e., Sidewalk Labs or landscape architecture, architecture, or urban design practice), foundation (i.e., Ford Foundation), or higher education environment with a focus urban issues core to the Center’s mission. Urban data analysis skills, including socio-economic data (i.e., census or large household data sets); spatial data, GIS, and map creation; the use of qualitative research methods; case studies; participatory action research; data visualization; and/or urban design skills. Publishing experience.

There is no visa sponsorship for this position.